


Did It Hurt?

by KenzieFive



Category: Rooster Teeth/Achievement Hunter RPF
Genre: AU, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Angels, Angel!Gavin, M/M, Weiweipon, gavin is an angel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-09-02
Updated: 2013-09-09
Packaged: 2017-12-25 09:19:28
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 9,491
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/951379
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KenzieFive/pseuds/KenzieFive
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Michael was just walking home, minding his own business, when someone made him fall head over heels.</p><p>By crashing into his skull.<br/>***<br/>Gavin Free is an angel who has just been cast out of heaven, and falls to Earth. He crash lands right onto Michael Jones, who now has to deal with this Fallen and the trouble he causes to his heart.</p><p>For Lauren [http://weiweipon.tumblr.com/]</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Based off this post  
> [http://weiweipon.tumblr.com/post/57899495143/if-this-happens-in-a-mavin-angel-au-and-they]

 

 

 

 

Michael just wanted to get home, that's it.

He had to stay late today to finish a particularly rage-inducing Rage Quit, and all he wanted to do was get back to his shitty apartment where his shitty bed was waiting for him. But, due to his lack of planning, he walked to work today which ment he also had to walk _back_. Upon realizing his mistake when he got to work, it only fueled his anger which helped him record the video. Reluctantly, he started his half hour long journey back to his home, hoping he would be home before it got too dark so he wouldn't have to fear for his safety.

The walk isn't too bad after a few minutes, he even was enjoying the way the sunset made everything glow a soft shade of red. The leaves swayed with a small breeze that had kicked up, and most of the people were home with their families by now, making the usually busy Austin streets seem more tranquil than ever.

Michael was just minding his own business, when someone made him fall head over heels. By crashing into his skull.

He was disoriented by the immediate blow, yelping out as he was sent flying to the floor and tumbling over himself before he landed on his back with a small thud. His beanie was knocked right off his head, and his glasses barely clung to his face after the fall. His instinct was to grab his head, fearing that the top of his head was split open, but he felt no physical wound. Wincing, he got up slowly to see just who was the jackass that rammed full speed into him.

"What the fuck?" He groaned. "Who the fuck does something as idiotic as-" Michael stopped when he caught sight of the attacker. Sprawled out, face on the pavement, was man in a pure white dress and decorated in several different things of gold. His mess of dirty blond hair glittered under the sunset, and his tan was a perfect shade of sun-kissed. But what really caught Michael's eyes were the pair of beautiful, soft wings that draped over the concrete several feet beside him. He almost jumped out of his skin when the mesmerizing man spoke.

"Bloody hell, that was unpleasant. Never landed quite like that before." A British accent came stumbling out his mouth. His wings fluttered and folded back up against his back as he started to get up, gripping his head. Once he was up, he suddenly remembered that he wasn't alone.


	2. An Angel On Earth

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After a crash landing, the mysterious man tries to explain himself.

"Oh! Hello!" He shouted excitedly when he saw me. "Sorry 'bout that, didn't mean to hurt you! Are you alright?"

He held out his hand, and I was almost afraid to touch it. Hesitantly, I grabbed it and allowed him to help me up, but he didn't let go. "...Y-yeah, I'm fine." I looked him up and down again. "Why the fuck are you wearing a dress?"

He released my hand and started to laugh. "You just got slammed in the head by an angel, and your _only_ question is about what I'm wearing?"

"It's not my only question, you little prick! Sorry if I'm in shock after the brain damage I received after you decided my head was your landing pad!"

He stopped laughing, and his smile dropped a little. "Sorry, really, I am. Didn't have much of a choice where I landed." He pulled at the hem of the dress. "I, uh, wear this because it's the uniform, but I guess I dont have much use for it anymore. Really, I don't see the point of wearing all the gold... Too flashy and annoying." He poked at the bracelets on his arms.

"So... an angel."

"Yep!" His head snapped back up to give me a toothy grin.

"What are you doing down here? Don't you have, like, a job up there?" I pointed to the sky.

That seemed to strike a nerve, and the grin was gone. "Kinda got kicked out, I guess. Seemed to put my big nose in some private business, and some other angels didn't appriciate it."

"That's too bad."

"It's their loss."

A comfortable silence fell between us, and I gestured for him so follow me as I continued my walk home.

"So... First time on Earth?"

"Nah, I've been here loads of times!" I was glad to see the smile return. "Usually, when I plan my visits, I don't look like this."

"Visits?"

"Yeah, you've probably met and seen tons of angels! Some, like my old mate Burnie, came down and never came back. He's been down here for years... I thought about doing it a few times, but the decision was made for me this time." He looked down at the ground. "Do you believe in God?" He asked suddenly.

"I'm not very religious, I just can't find enough energy to care or worry myself with stuff like that." I looked over at him, his wings now extended behind him as he walked. The sun has set even lower, the red glow disappearing and slowly being replaced with darkness. "Why do you ask?"

"I don't know, you seemed to react too well to an angel. Thought you were a man of faith, that you believed in my kind and all that junk." He glanced back up at me.

"Weirder shit has happened to me, and why should I doubt you?"

"You don't even know my name, nor do I know yours."

"Well, I'm Michael. Michael Jones." I pulled my hand out of my pocket and held it out to him, and he took it eagerly.

"Nice to meet you, Mister Jones. My name is Gavin Free."

"So, Mister Free," I smirked at him. "I assume you have no where to stay, and I happen to have an apartment, as you can see right behind me." I let go of his hand and guided his attention to my destination. "Do you want to stay here, where I can offer you some masculine clothing and a bed if you need to sleep, which I'm not sure you do now that I'm asking?"

"Yes, I do sleep, and yes, I would be very greatful if I could stay."

* * *

Gavin is now seated on my sofa, now in a pair of sweatpants and a Rooster Teeth t-shirt and no gold jewlery. Much to my disappointment, he can hide his wings very easily, making them vanish as he pleases. He assured me that they aren't gone, just cloaked and manageable for 'surface life' while he's here.

"Are you hungry?" I called from the kitchen as I put water on the stove to boil. "I was planning on making some pasta, do you want any?"

"I'm fine, what's that?" He pointed at the Xbox in my entertainment center.

"An Xbox, you play games on it."

"Can we play one?" He turned to look at me with his big green eyes. "I've never seen this before, must of come out after my last visit."

Knowing that this was going to be most of the night, I turned off the stove and poured the water in the sink. "When was that, your last visit?" I walk out into the living room and started stting up the Xbox.

"I came down with Burnie at least a decade ago, and that was when he stayed. Said that he met a few guys that he wanted o stick around for, start a business... I've popped in a few times since then, but never for too long, had nobody to hang out with since I lost touch with Burnie."

"Burnie... Burnie... My bosses name is Burnie." I said, knowing the name was familiar. "Burnie Burns."

Gavin's eyes went even wider. "I told you that you probably met an angel! That's my friend, oh my Father! Michael, you have to bring me to your work tomorrow, I've got to see him!" The console whirled to life and started up, and I started laughing. "What you on about!? This is important! I havent seen or heard from him in 10 _freaking_ years!"

"You said 'oh my Father'!"

"Whatever, just say yes!" He was practicaly on top of me, having crawled slowly across the sofa.

"Fine, yes! You can visit your angel brother friend who is my boss tomorrow!"

I can see that this means a lot to him, seeing a friend that left him a decade ago, and I assume is the only angel he knows on the surface right now. A stream of thanks flood out of his mouth as he launches at me and wraps his arms around my neck. He obviously has no sense of personal space.

"Or, you know, I could call him right now so you can talk to him."

"I wouldn't know what to say, I barely remember what he even looks like... I think he might have forgotten me."

"I doubt that." I put the controller down as Minecraft started up. "I'm pretty sure you're unforgettable."

"Is he happy?" Gavin looked me right in the eye. "Does he like his life here? We missed him, up there... But once you stay, you can't come back. I just want to know that he is happy with his decision."

The sudden seriousness of the conversation threw me off. "Well, yeah, I think so. He runs a popluar company with his best friends, the ones I assume now are the ones he stayed for, and loves his job. He's a great boss,  and everybody loves him. So, yeah, he's happy." I chuckeled. "I'm trying to imagine him in a dress and all that gold shit. And wings, holy shit I can see it now."

Gavin started to laugh with me. "Yeah, he never quite fit the image of an angel. Too big and hairy." He smiled at memory. "I'm just glad he's happy... But I wont call him, I want to talk to him in person. It's been too long to just try and reconnect over the phone. Plus, he might not believe it's me."

"I still can't believe that _I_ believe you."

"Exactly."

He has a point, so I just shrugged and handed him the controller. "Let's take your mind off things. You wanted to play, so I'll teach you how to play."


	3. Family Reunion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gavin goes to pay an old friend a visit, hoping for the best.

"I'm scared, Michael."

"Let me get this straight... You fell thousands of feet and crash landed onto Earth, and you're scared to reunite with your angel buddy?" I questioned him, already prepared to give up.

We were still in the car, parked in front of the Rooster Teeth building. Again, Gavin borrowed more of my clothes, deciding to wear my Rage Quit shirt and jeans that were too short for him. Luckily, I also had spare shoes and, disgustingly, underwear for him.

"What if we got it wrong, yeah? What if it's not him and it's a huge, awkward misunderstanding?"

"Then whatever, right?"

"Yeah... How's your face?"

I woke up this morning with a giant bruise that spread from my forehead to my left eye, where Gavin had smashed my face in. It didn't hurt much, but looked nasty and was bound to raise questions. "It's no big deal, I've been in plenty of fights before. I'll just tell them some guy tried to mug me on my way home."

"I still feel bad, though. I bash you in the noggin and then offer me a spare bed." He pouted.

"Yeah, and you can make up for it by walking in that building and getting a job from your... I assume you are technically brothers?"

"Eh, I guess so. But not really."

"So get a job from your not-brother and make up for my face."

After grumbling to himself for a few seconds, he mumbeled, "Fine."  

* * *

I knocked on Burnie's office door lighly while Gavin waited a few feet behind. Faintly, I heard him call me in, and I opened the door slowly. "Hey, Burnie."

He was busy on his computer, but turned away from it to greet me. "What's up, Michael? What- Holy shit, your face!"

"Yeah, that's not important right now. I met a-"

"What the hell happened? I know you walked home last night, did something happen?" I could see he was angry, but it could wait.

"Forget about my face for a second, 'kay? I met an old friend of yours last night, I think. I signed him in and everything, he wanted to see you."

He seemed confused for a moment. "An old friend? I work with almost all of my friends, who is this guy? I swear to God if you let some psychopath into the building-"

"Shouldn't really use our Father's name in vain, Burnie." Gavin strolled into the room, keeping his eye's on him. Burnie's jaw dropped as he stared back at Gavin. "Told you I'd find you someday." A small grin spread across his face. I backed up to let them talk with one another.

"Never doubted you, just... How?" Burnie stood up and came out from behind his desk. "I can only imagine that Michael knows?" I nodded, and he continued. "I gave up my wings almost 10 years ago, and you know that communication with a Grounded is forbidden."

"Never cared much for the rules, and thats why I'm here really. Pushed me out, and I fell right into this guy." He casually pointed back at me. "Thought I bloody killed him, at first!"

No one spoke for a while, before Burnie pulled Gavin into a hug. "I missed you so much, Gav. I missed you everyday I was here, never stopped thinking about everyone I left behind." He let him go, but kept his hands on his shoulders. "So, are you a Grounded, too?"

"Actually, no, I never gave them up. The High Counsel locked me out." Gavin just shrugged. "You are looking at the only Grounded with wings. A Fallen, I guess is the only name for it."

I heard a soft flutter, and suddenly they appeared. Pure white and reaching out on his sides, I unknowingly held my breath as I looked at them. I zoned out as they continued speaking, distracted by the extra appendages that stuck out of the shirt without ripping through the fabric or seeming to bother Gavin at all. Without realizing, I reached out to run my hands over the feathers.

Gavin flinched and snapping them against his back as a reflex, stopping mid-sentence. "Michael, please don't do that."

Both Burnie and Gavin were looking at me, so i just mutter a quick apology. They both continued.

Another soft flutter and they were gone, like he was punishing me for my bad behavior. "Uh, as I was saying, do you think you can help me out?"

"Yeah, of course, I was actually looking to hire somebody for Achievement Hunter. Think you can handel it?"

"Yep, Michael actually taught me Xbox last night!" He turned to grin at me.

"It's not ' _playing Xbox_ ', Gavin. You play games on _the_ Xbox, and yesterday I taught you how to play Minecraft... Which you sucked at." I entered the conversation. "But yeah, he can play and it will be entertaining to watch him fail. Bet you 20 bucks the fans would love him and his lack of basic motor skills."

"Oh, you're on. Welcome to Rooster Teeth, Gavin. Let me worry about the paperwork and all that, I need to make you a fake profile to hire you. I did it once for myself, don't stress out." He walks back around to his desk and goes back to his work. "For now, You can go introduce yourself to everyone and start recording some videos, I should have it done by tomorrow."

"Thanks, Burnie." Gavin says meekly as we turn out the door.

"Anything for you, Gav. It's good to have you back." After a quick nod, I closed the door with a small 'click'.

We don't speak as I lead him down the hall and to the office door, which opens as soon as we get in front of it. It swings open, and standing under the door way is Geoff.

"Oh, 'ay Buddy. What the fuck happened to your face?"

"Someone tried to mug me, they look worse." I replied curtly. "I want you to meet the newest Achievement Hunter."

"Oh shit, new guy!" Geoff immediately grabbed Gavin's hand and shook it firmly. "I'm Geoff Ramsey, nice to meet ya'."

"Gavin Free." He said as politely as he could.

"Fucking foreign, thats great." Geoff laughed to himself and waved for Gavin to follow him into the office. Ray was editing an Achievement Guide, legs tucked into his chest, when Geoff slapped his headphones off playfully. Ryan and Jack were trying to detangle microphones, and turned around when Ray yelped. "Hey, listen up, we got a new member! This is Gavin Free, try not to scare him off."

"Oh sweet, now it's even!" Ray jumped out of his chair. "I'm Ray-"

"Jack."

"They call me Ryan."

"Pleasure to meet you all." All of them cooed at once when he spoke. "Burnie said I could start working if I wanted, do we have anything we need to do?"

"We were just about to record another Minecraft Let's play, if you wanted to join. You can go split-screen with Ray since we dont have another Xbox in here yet." Ryan started explaining as he and Jack detangeled all the microphones and set them up. "You just got to sign into Live and we can start."

We made an account for Gavin yesterday, when I let him play, so he grinned widely. "No problem. Let's play, Lads!"


	4. Bonding On the Job

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gavin settles into his into his new life without any problems, openly accepted by the Achievement Hunters as the newest member. The others question the arrangement he has with Michael, and some secrets are revealed.

It's been almost two weeks since Gavin moved in with me and started working. I took him clothes shopping after he got the job, so that the others wouldn't question why he was wear what were obviously my clothes, and he was also supplied with a good amount of company shirts. He fit in well, almost seamlessly merging into our group with no problems.

Ray grabbed me by the shoulders while I was editing the newest Rage Quit I recorded last night. "Just checked the comments on the newest Let's Play's, everyone  _loves_  Gavin."

I spun around and smirked at him. "Burnie owes me 20 dollars now, I knew they would."

"He's a fun guy, where did you find him?"

I knew 'He fell from the sky and gave me brain damage' wasn't going to work, so I lied. "Met him on the Internet, we talked back and forth for a while. He recently lost his job, and there was an opening here so I brought him in."

"So does he, uh, live with you?" Ray raised an eyebrow.

"Right now, yeah."

"Are you guys dating? Like, long distance over the internet shit?"

My cheeks flushed. "No! It's not like that!"

"What's not like what?" Gavin walked in, Red Bull in his hand.

I shot Ray a warning glance. "Nothing... You shouldn't be drinking that shit, you know that?" I told him.

"Why not? 'Sides, you know what they say, it gives you wings!" He grinned and let out a high-pitched laugh that I couldn't help but match.

"I don't get it..." Ray squinted his eyes at the two of us. "Is that some lameass inside joke between the two of you? You're dating and you don't even know it."

"Oh, piss off, Ray. Michael's just a friend! He's my boy!" He shot me a grin.

"You're my boy, Gavin!" I stood up and gave him a side hug, nearly knocking the two of us over. I swear, I felt something brush by me, but I ignored it. Ray laughed, shoving past us and too his desk, and Gavin reluctantly let me go to get to his.

Suddenly, the door slammed open. Geoff barged in, bottle in his hand, and went straight up to Gavin. "Come here, asshole, and let me love you." Before he could protest, Geoff was practically pulling him out of his chair and into a bear hug. "You're a mystery to me, but I'm glad you're here. Do you know how popular you are?"

He released Gavin, who took in a deep breath before he could talk. "N-no, why?"

"You, my foreign friend, are the star of the Let's Play's right now. The comments wont shut their mouths, all wanting to see more of the British prick." A proud, almost fatherly, smile slid across his face.

"Really? Wow, I didn't think I'd be that big 'a deal." 

"Yep, and I've got big plans for you... Big as dicks, dude." Geoff slapped him on the back before going to his desk. Soon after, Ryan and Jack came in with their lunches and sat down in the now crowded room.

"So, we ready to record some new stuff today? What are we playing?" Jack places his food down and sits.

"That can wait 'till later, lets bond! I want to get to know our little star!" Geoff answered. "I feel like we hardly know you, and you've been here for a while now."

"I met everyone on the first day, Michael showed me around."

"That doesn't mean shit. Tell us about yourself, then we can record the GTA IV Let's Play."

Gavin looked lost, having a life story that he really couldn't tell them. He looked over at me for help, and I jumped in to save him. "He, uh, was home schooled by his parents for most of his life."

"Y-yeah, very religious, you see. Wanted me to be a priest, but, uh, kicked me out when I said I didn't want to." He tried to sound convincing. "So I worked a few small jobs, and I met Michael online not too long ago and he told me about Rooster Teeth. Said they were looking to hire, and I didn't have a job at that point, so he offered to let me move in with him if I got the job. I did, so here I am."

Geoff was quiet for a minute, carefully choosing his words. "Are you happy you met Michael?"

I eyed him, but he ignored me and kept watching Gavin. "Yeah, 'course I am. It was accidental, but we clicked instantly. He changed my life more than anyone." He looked over at me and smiled. "He's my boy."

"Wow, gaaaaayyyyyyy- fuck, ow!" I smacked Ray as soon as he opened his mouth. "Kidding, kidding! But seriously, touching story." He laughed.

"You're important to me too, Gavin." I clapped a hand on his shoulder and smiled back at him.

"So you just... Live with Michael, nothing else?" Ryan chimed in.

"Yeah, what else would we be doing?" I asked back.

"Nothing, just seems weird to me I guess, but I'm glad Gavin's here." He went back to his work, but I could see the smallest smirk on his face.

"Well, as promised, we can record now. Jack, start 'er up."

"Fuck you."

* * *

"You little bitch!" Geoff watched his character crumple to the floor. "How did you find me, how the fuck did you find me!?"

Gavin cackled, pleased with the damage he had done. "Suck it, Geoffrey!" Almost immediately after, Ryan killed him with a car. "Dammit! Guys, this game is top!"

"Are you kidding me? Have you never played this before?" Jack sounded insulted.

"Uh, I just played Minecraft, I think. I only started playing games recently, never owned an Xbox before... No, no Michael!" He cried as I ran him down.

"He speaks the truth, the first time he played was when he moved in." I called over my shoulder. "We made him an account that day."

"Holy shit, Gavin, your parents must have kept you under a rock. Don't worry, I'll help you raise that gamerscore in no time." Ray turned to Gavin, and in that split second of looking away I killed him. "Oh, you motherfucker."

After finishing the match, which was just a lot of Gavin losing and screwing everyone else up, we ended the recording and left it to Ray to edit. Then, more questions started to be asked.

"So, Gavin, when you say your parents are religious, you mean...?" Geoff started asking.

"I mean they believed the world started 2013 years ago, and that evolution is the work of the devil." He answered bluntly.

"Yikes..." He breathed out heavily. "We're they, like, homophobic too?"

Gavin didn't answer at first. He shifted a little in his seat, and looked at me before turning to him and answering. "That was part of the reason they kicked me out, you could say."

_Oh._

"That's too bad, they're missing out on a great guy."

"Sometimes it doesn't feel that way, but it's better this way. For me."

"Hell yeah it is." I assure him. "Fuck those guys."

Gavin senses that I caught on, and smiles. "Thanks, my little Michael." He gets up silently and leaves the room, and Geoff turns to me.

"Did you know that?"

"Not until now." I shrugged.

He looked me right in the eye. "Does it bother you?"

I felt insulted. "Why the fuck should it bother me? He's gay, that’s fine. He's still Gavin… Besides, so am I."

"Oh." Geoff looked guilty. "I didn't know that."

"No one at the office does, but now you do. Lucky you." I went to spin around, but he stopped my chair.

"As long as you're happy, I don't care, you know that... You're like a son to me, all of you are. Even Gavin."

A deafening silence filled the empty office, and I looked down at my feet. "Thanks, Geoff."

"No problem, bud."


	5. Wings of Love

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gavin and Michael spend some time together after work, and talk about the elephant in the room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, this story is becoming more popular than I thought! Thank you so much, everyone! Don't forget to check out the amazing artist that drew the art and gave me the prompt, Lauren! [http://weiweipon.tumblr.com/]

I walked out of my bedroom, now in more comfortable clothes, to see Gavin sprawled out on his bed with his wings out in his room. He, like me, has changed out of his work clothes and has decided to go shirtless.

I've only seen them, including now, three times since meeting him. They are as long as his body, at least, and take up most of the space around him. You would think laying on them would be uncomfortable, but he doesn't seem fazed by it in the slightest. Slowly, I walk over and stand in the doorway to get a closer look at him, but the floor creaks and he sits up quickly to look at me.

"Sorry." I mumbled. "You tired? Want me to close the door?"

He rubbed the back of his neck. "Nah, just sore. No big deal." He doesn't hide his wings this time, he just folded them up against his back. I want to see them up close, but the last time I tried in Burnie's office he had gotten upset. He sees watching him and continues. "Just takes a lot of energy to keep 'em hidden."

"You don't have to hide them in the house, you know."

"Yeah, but I feel like they get in the way even if they're hidden. I mean, they hit you in the office today when you hugged me."

I remember something brushing by my back. "Oh, that's what that was?"

"Uh, yeah, I kinda had to move them so you're arm wouldn't hit them. It's not your fault, that's not what I'm saying!" He was getting flustered, and his wings opened unknowingly. "I just mean that, maybe, I don't even know..." His face fell into his hands. "Guess I  _am_  tired."

"Just sleep then. It's a little after 5:30, you can take a nap and I'll make some food."

He picked up his head and looked at me, frowning. "Nah, do you want to play some Halo?"

"Oh, uh, sure." He gets up from the bed and follows me out to the living room and sits down on the sofa. "Do you really want to play Halo, or was that just an excuse to talk to me?" I ask before I star up the Xbox.

"You can see right through me, can't you?" He laughs. "I want to talk about... Why I got kicked out."

I froze, but sunk down next to him. He took my silence as a yes.

"You know how I told you that they got mad at me for snooping around? Well, that's kinda true, but not the whole truth." He swallowed hard before continuing. "I was looking for the angel who wrote Leviticus 18:22. I wanted to see the records, find their name, and ask them if God really said... Well, that. 'Cept the High Counsel found me before I found it, got really pissy about it, and asked me why I broke into private records. Guess they wanted me to explain myself, to try and save my ass from being killed. So I told them, and they tried to kill me. Said I was 'a stain on the white clouds and need to be rubbed out', so they cast me off the edge."

"Gavin-"

"I wasn't meant to survive that fall, Michael. I was supposed to, according to legend, fall to hell and burned alive. That, or murdered by Lucifer... By smacking into you, it saved my life. Bet you didn't notice, but I had my eyes closed when I was falling. I didn't want to see what was going to happen, but now I wish I was looking."

My throat was dry and I was afraid to speak. "W-why?"

"Well, I would have been able to see you coming." He looked at me as a tear fell down his cheek. Hesitantly, he draped one wing over my shoulders without looking away. "And I want to thank you for getting in my way..."

It was quite for a moment. "I'm sorry." I finally said when neither of us moved.

"For what?" 

"For what you went through to get to me."

He laughed, a smile back on his face. "I would do it all over again, down here is way better. No one was as nice as you."

"I thought angels were supposed to be nice."

He looked down at the floor. "You would think so, right? But none of them would have been crazy enough to invite a stranger that bruised their face into their home."

"Well maybe the stranger was charming and I liked the stranger." He picked up his head and turned back to me, his mouth slightly agape, and before I could think, I closed the small gap between us. I lightly put my lips on his, just a peck, and it was over in half a second. I had closed my eyes instinctively, and when I opened them he was looking right at me.

"I-I didn't, uh, know-"

"That I am a rainbow ball of sunshine that's been crushing on an angel?"

"Wasn't going to say it quite like that, but also-"

"Please say something else before I feel like a total tool." I could feel that my face was red. "I bet I just made everything weird now, you probably want to-"

"I like you, too." He cut me off. "I was going to say that I didn't know you felt the same way."

I silence fell that no one wanted to break.

"So... where do we go from here?" I took the initiative.

"Uh, I guess I could start by giving you a real kiss." He smirked at me, no evidence that he was ever crying on his face. I wanted to smack it off, but I was glad to see him smiling again.

"Alright." I grinned and leaned in once again, both of us ready this time.

As cliché as it sounds, it felt like fireworks. Soft yet firm, his lips molded to mine and made me melt. He flicked his tongue and opened my mouth, sliding it inside and taking complete control of the kiss. He leaned into me, but broke off the kiss just as I wanted more.

"Why'd you stop?" I asked, almost upset.

"You're kissing an angel." He chuckled to himself.

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"It's like I'm Cupid, we found love!"

"Oh my God... I may or may not be in love with you-" He grinned at me, wider than ever. "-But you're still a piece of shit."

"Michael!"

"Just kiss me again, idiot."

* * *

When we walked into work the next day, we acted normal. As much as I wanted to, we didn't hold hands walking into the office. He didn't want to give the others the satisfaction that we are a thing. When we were alone, though, we did tell Geoff.

His reaction was to laugh and pull us into a hug.

"Oh, it was only a matter of time. Did you two not see the way you looked at each other? Your eyes both screamed sex."

"Geoffrey, that’s disgusting!"

"Hey, don't yell at me, it was only an observation. But hey, I'm happy for you." 

My face was burning, but I couldn't be too upset. Before we could say anything else, Ryan and Jack came back into the office laughing and ready to record another Things To Do In.

We all looked at each other before going back to our own desks. Just as I sat down, Gavin tapped me on the shoulder.

"Hey Michael, I wanna do it now." He reached his hand out and grabbed my wrist that was hanging between us. "Can I?"

I felt my face grow hotter. "...Y-yeah." His hand slid down, fitting itself perfectly in mine. He squeezed lightly and smiled to himself, proud of how flustered he can make me.

Ray walked into the office right after and it was the first thing he noticed. As he passed by, he whispered, "Team Mavin, bros."

The Gents turned to look at us, and immediately started laughing and smiling. Gavin let go of my hand, leaving it feeling empty.

"I knew it!" Jack exclaimed and threw his fists in the air. "Joel owes me five bucks!"

"So much for 'nothing' going on." Ryan said slyly.

"You guys couldn't keep it a secret longer than two seconds! What was the point of even telling me?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some scenes were based off of more of Lauren's art! Check them out!  
> [http://weiweipon.tumblr.com/post/57420867860/based-on-this-its-how-confessions-really-work]  
> [http://weiweipon.tumblr.com/post/59789885553/literallyananime-maybe-some-mavin-hand-holding]


	6. Words of Wisdom

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Michael wants to help Gavin, so he seeks advice from Burnie.

"Hey, Gavin?" I walk out into the dimly lit living room early in the morning after hearing someone in here. "You up?" I saw part of a wing hanging over the edge of the sofa and walked over to find him sleeping.

His tan skin has started to grow paler in the month that he has been here, and he always seems tired. I look up and down his body, and my eyes stop on his back. All around the base of his wings and shoulders are bruised, a mix of purples and yellows that make me want to scream.

"Gavin, wake up." I poke at him and shake him, stirring him from his slumber.

"...Mm. Wha...?" His eyes barely open, and he pushes himself up slightly.

"Gavin."

His eyes shoot open and focus on me. "Oh, Michael. Sorry, I couldn't really sleep, so I came out here and played some games..."

"What's up with your back?"

He bit his lip. "What do ya' mean?"

He breathes out a sigh. "I mean, why does you back look like it took a beating?"

"Oh, that." He doesn't look me in the eyes. "That's from keeping my wings cloaked. I've told you before, it takes a lot of energy and strength to do it. It's no big deal, I'm just not used to doing it." He smiles. "Don't worry, I'm fine."

I didn't believe him.

 

 

* * *

"Michael! Didn't expect to see you today." Burnie says from his desk as I enter his office. "Is something wrong?"

I was getting straight to the point. "Yeah, I think there's something going on with Gavin."

"Oh, I think I saw this coming..." He minimizes his program and gestures for me to sit. "Explain."

"Well, he's tired all the time, I've noticed. Caught him sleeping on Ryan's sofa once and at his desk... And he looks sick, almost. He looks way paler than when I first met him. But my biggest concern is the bruises."

Burnie thought about something. "Is the bruising on his back? Around the wings?"

"How'd you know?"

"Because it happened to me once, before I gave mine up. Did he ever tell you exactly why I stayed?" I shook my head. "Well, I'll tell you, but lets start with some info about angels in general."

"We were essentially created to run Heaven because God didn't want to. We, like it is said in the Bible, went down to Earth to bring messages and pass on the word of the Lord. I was born long after those times, in a time when Angels rarely went to the surface because many feared it. So, for most of my life in the clouds, I never even saw was Earth or the people looked like until they deemed safe to travel to." Burnie took off his glasses. "That was around the time Gavin was created, and I took him with me."

"Is this the visit where you stayed?"

"Yeah, my first visit. I met some amazing people, people I didn't want to leave. You've never seen the clouds, it was so dull. Getting up to white and gold everyday to do the same job for eternity... But Earth was full of life and color, and I didn't want to go. Gavin wasn't as amazed as I was, since he didn't grow up in the time as me, and wanted to leave. I told him I was going to stay, but he begged me not to, so I made him a promise I wouldn't until I was sure it was what I wanted."

It was a lot of information to take in. Gavin didn't like the surface, and tried to get Burnie to go back with him. He didn't want to be around humans.

Burnie saw my hurt face. "Gavin didn't hate the surface, that's not what I'm trying to tell you. He was just born into a generation of angels who didn't find it fascinating. He would always be able to go to it, but I was always told not to. In fact, he liked the people, it just wasn't for him."

"Oh, ok. Uh, what happened after that?"

"I stayed was a few days, in Gus' apartment, keeping my wings hidden for the entire time. It's very taxing on the body to do it, but I loved working with my friends. My back was covered in one giant bruise by the end of the first day, and my feathers had started to fall out after a while. An angels body is not meant to stay on Earth and cloak itself for long periods of time."

I though about the last sentence for a while before I spoke. "What's going to happen to him, then?"

"Michael," His voice was low. "I think that, if he does this for much longer, it might kill him."

"He can't die." I hiss.

"You are seeing each other, right? You like him." He kept his voice low, almost whispering. "Then you have to do something you might not like."

"What?"

"You have to get him to cut off his wings."

"You're fucking crazy!" I jumped out of the chair. "Why the  _fuck_  would he do that?"

"Because it's the only way to make him human! Even if he doesn't die from what he's putting himself through, he's immortal and can't hide them forever! It's going to be really hard to be with him when you're on your deathbed. Think about it, Michael!" He shouted back, shooting out of his chair. "Besides, do you think I want him to die? I did it myself, and I'll tell you now that it was excruciating but worth it, and he's going to have to do it eventually. He knows that."

I wanted to punch him in the face, but he was right. I don't want to lose Gavin. "Being an angel must suck."

"It did, to an extent, but it wasn’t all bad." He sat back down. "But I like being a human better."

"I don't want to hurt him..."

"Well... Pain is only temporary. He'll be much better off after experiencing it, and it will be part of his life story."

"Do you think he'll like being a human?"

He smirks at me as I sit back down, finally calm. "He doesn't have much of a choice, but he has a big reason to like it. I don't see why he wouldn't."


	7. Blade of Glory

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Michael has to face the truth, even if he doesn't like it.

"So what do we have to do?" I looked Burnie in the eyes.

He slid his glasses back on his face. "You'll need a blade, one that was forged in Heaven-"

"Yeah let me just go to the weapons store and buy  _that_."

"Jesus Christ, shut up for a second. How do you think I did it? I don't have that sword on my wall for reason or anything." He hisses sarcastically, pointing to the wall behind me. Sure enough, there is a sword hanging in a frame hidden among all the nerd paraphernalia. "Uh, ' _Confringam tibi vincula mea, et libera me'_  is engraved on it."

"Translate, featherbrain." I turn back around.

"It means 'go fuck yourself, asshole'..." He glared at me. "It's Latin, and it roughly translate to 'I break my bonds to thee, and set myself free', meant to symbolize rebellion from God."

"And where exactly did you get it?"

"I had it made by a buddy of mine who was the Blacksmith at the time, Gavin played messenger that day for us since I was on the surface."

"And you used that to...?"

"Yes, I used it to slice thought my bones and chop of my wings." He said bluntly. "Trust me, it will do the job. That thing will cut through just about anything."

I looked down into my lap. "What do I tell him, then?"

"Tell him the truth, even if you don't like it. If you don’t like it, he won’t either."

"Just curious, what happens after you cut them off?" I don't look up.

He took a deep breath. "They disintegrate, into ashes almost. It just becomes black soot, even the stumps on your back. All that's left of mine are just two scars on my shoulder blades."

"You didn't keep the ashes?" I glanced back up at him.

"Why would I keep what belonged in the trash?"

 

* * *

Burnie's story burned in the back of my mind on the drive back home. Gavin would probably be asleep or on the Xbox, but I didn't want to face him. I have to be the bringer of bad news and tell him that he has to chop off his wings, how am I supposed to do that?

"Michael?" As soon as I open the door, he calls my name. "Where did you run off to?" He is in his pajamas still, sitting on the coffee table while playing Halo.

"Why the fuck are you on the table?"

He just grins, saving his game and turning it off. "The couch isn't close enough." Without another word, he jumps up and walks over to me, pulling me into a hug. I melt into his warmth, taking in the scent of vanilla, and carefully wrap my arms around his middle. "Are you going to tell me where you went? You just got up and left, saying you had to do something important." I could feel his wings flutter, and it made me feel guilty.

I decided that I couldn't lie, and spoke with my head against his chest. "I went to see Burnie."

"On our day off?" He looked down at the top of my head.

"I went to talk to him about you."

He let go of me suddenly, making me stumble slightly, and I could see the betrayal in his eyes when I looked at him. "Why?"

"I'm worried, Gavin! You're not fine!"

"I am!" His wings flared out, nearly knocking over a vase of the kitchen counter, but he quickly snapped them back. "It's just some bruises, it's no big deal!"

I didn't plan on fighting about this. "Burnie didn't think so."

"Oh yeah, what did Burnie say, hmm?"

"He said...!" I didn't want to say it, I don't want to tell him. "He said..."

"Out with it, what'd he say?"

"He said you're dying!" My eyes burned as I shoved past him.

He didn't move, keeping his back towards me as I sank down into the sofa. I sat there, elbows on my knees and staring at the floor, for what seemed like forever until I felt the cushion move next to me. "I know..." He mumbled.

"You've known, but you weren't going to tell me." I hissed, rubbing my eyes.

"I didn't want to scare you." He drapes a wing over my back.

"Well, He told me that-"

"I have to cut off my wings, right?"

"...Yeah." I sit up. "It's the only way to save you."

"You saved me once, now it looks like you're saving me again." He tried to laugh, but it came out sad. "I just don't want to give them up, you know? I like them too much, but now they're killing me. It almost feels ironic."

"I fail to see the irony in this situation."

"They're what brought me to you, and now I have to get rid of them because they're trying to take me away." He looked at the black screen of the television.

Without another word, I just leaned onto his shoulder and soon after I felt his head lean onto mine. We stayed like that for a while, in silence, until I found the words I wanted to say.

"Gavin... I love you."

I felt him smile. "I love you too, Michael."

* * *

 He called Burnie after work to tell him to bring the sword over.

"It needs to happen today, or else I'm going to whimp out." I catch him saying into the phone. He listened for a while before mumbling a responce and hanging up.

"So?"

"He's on his way now." He started pacing around the room as I watched from kitchen counter.

"How are you feeling? About all this, I mean?"

He takes a few seconds to gather a responce. "I don't know... I guess I should be scared, right? But I'm not. I'm, uh, excited? That's not the right word to discribe it at all, um..." He was starting to lose me. "What I'm trying to say is that... I'm supposed to be dead, but I'm not, and now I'm going to continue living as a human and I should look at this as a new start. A fresh start to live my life the way I want to. But at the same time, I'm losing a very important part of me. It's-"

"Bittersweet." I say for him. "It's a good thing, but it's sad at the same time."

"Yeah. So I'm caught in this limbo of being scared and excited at the same time."

"I get 'cha."

He smiled his trademark toothy grin. "I'm just not looking forward to the pain. Burnie has a high pain tolerance, so for him to say it was excruciating..."

"Don't worry, I'll be right next to you. You'll be fine."

"Thanks, Michael." He has finally stopped pacing and stands in front the counter by me. Slowly, he leans across it and places his lips on mine. I slip my tongue into his mouth, exploring every inch and earning a slight purr from him. I count each perfect tooth, then break it off just like he had our first, but not before I sucked on his bottom lip slightly. "Why-"

"Did it hurt?" I ask, a smirk on my face.

"What?"

"When you fell from Heaven. 'Cause God lost his most beautiful angel."

His face contorted with laughter. "Seriously? You had to use that pick-up line! Well... Yeah, but it was worth it because I found God's most beautiful human."

Burnie started pounding on the door. "Can you two stop banging long enought to let me in? I want to get this thing inside before the neighbors call the cops on me."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> More art from Lauren that inspired a scene!  
> [http://weiweipon.tumblr.com/post/60265373778/i-was-planning-to-draw-mavin-sads-but-then-i]


	8. Free At Last

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gavin lets go of the one thing that's holding him back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh man, I hope this chapter is ok, I don't know how I feel about it! :( Tell me what you think!

I walk over to the front door and open it to let Burnie in. "Are you fucking stupid? You didn't even try to hide it at all!" He walks in, sword in his hand.

"Yeah, I had time to do that. I brought it, be happy. But before we do anything, I want to look at Gavin."

Gavin eyed Burnie. "What exactly to you want to look at?"

"I want to see how your body's doing. When I did it, I was unconscious for 3 hours after because I was so weak."

"You never told us about the risks! What if I bloody die!?"

"You won’t die, I don't think! I was fine after!" He argued. "Just let me see your back, God dammit." With a huff, Gavin did what he was told. He moved his wings out of the way and let Burnie see the bruising. "Your not as bad as I was believe it or not. I think you'll be just fine almost immediately." He was examining and feeling around the base of his wings.

"Is it going to hurt? Like, a lot?"

"For you, oh yeah. I'm betting five bucks now that you're going to pass out. It will almost be good if you do, 'cause it'll be over before you know it!" He tries to laugh to break the tension that's forming.

Gavin hunches over obviously upset. "You're an asshole, ya' know that? A straight up asshole."

"It'll be okay, Gavin." I place a hand on his shoulder. "Everything will get better after, yeah?" He continues to pout, so I grab his face and pull myself closer. "C'mere. Shhh... Calm down, Babe. Everything will be alright."

He cracks a small smile. "Just promise you won't leave."

"I promise."

"Oh God, at least wait until I leave before you start getting all mushy." Burnie groans. "Look, this ain't gonna be easy, so I suggest we do it quick. The faster it's done, the better because every second counts... And Ashley is waiting for to get home so..."

"Alright, let's get this over with. What do we need to do?" He asked.

"You’re lucky we’re here to help you. When I did it, I had nobody because you left. I had to awkwardly swing this clunky thing behind me and try not to hit my back. One of us can hold you down, while the other does the slicing-”

"Oh, fantastic!" Gavin was starting to panic. "This isn't what I signed up for!"

"Gavin!" I scream at him to get his attention. "Do you want to die slowly, or deal with this pain and live?"

"I want to live, obviously." He answers immediately. I look at his tired face, at the dark circles that have formed from the lack of sleep, and I want nothing more for him to be healthy. But the price of health is the painful removal of his wings, and I don’t know if he is really ready for it.

“If you don’t do this, you’ll die. Plain and simple.” I stare at him, right in his eyes. “I know you’re scared, but you’re excited to. It’s a new start, just like you said.”

I watch his shoulders relax. “Yeah, the bittersweet ending, but a new beginning…”

“So, let’s do it, ok? Everything will be better after this."

"Ok." He slowly nods. "Can you do it, though?"

"Uh... Yeah, I'll do it."

Burnie kept quiet as he watched us. "It's settled then? I’ll hold him steady, just sit down on the floor. It’s easier that way then trying to do it laying down, better angle.”

I slide the coffee table to the wall, opening up a large space in the living room for Gavin to sit. Burnie suggested towels to line the floor around us, so the ash doesn’t go everywhere.

“Is it going to bleed? I’ve never bled before…”

“No, it cauterizes itself almost instantly and starts to disintegrate, but that means it’s going to hurt more after the initial cut itself.”

“Well… Lets get this over with.” He plops himself down on the ground with a dull thud and flexes his wings out behind him. “Just make it quick, alright?” Burnie hands me the sword, which weights much lighter than I thought it would, and positions himself next to Gavin and braces him against himself.

“On the count of three…” I stand on the other side, gripping the hilt of the sword so tightly that my knuckles are turning white. I don’t want to hurt him, with ever fiber of my being, but I have to. I can feel myself starting to shake and my eyes start to burn. I bring the sword over my head, and start counting. “One, two… three!”

Almost as soon as I swing down, a scream fills the air. It is deafening, and I let go of the sword without thinking, letting it clatter to the floor. I looked at Gavin, his face contorted in pain and letting out the screech. But as soon as it started, it stopped, and he goes limp.

Burnie doesn’t let go for a second, his arms firmly wrapped around his shoulders. “…He’s ok.” He lets out a huge sigh, like he was holding his breath. “Like I said, he passed out- Hey, you’re crying.”

“I think that’s a normal reaction to hearing your boyfriend scream like he’s dying.” I wipe my eyes with my sleeve and look at the now detached wings lying on my floor, slowly falling apart into dust. “I’ll miss them.”

Burnie grabs a pillow off the couch behind him and lays Gavin down on his side. I can see the nubs where they once were turning to dust just like the wings. “Yeah, but now you’ll have Gavin alive and well.”

“When do you think he’ll wake up?”

“Probably any minute now, he’s just a wuss.”

“Says the guy who was out for 3 hours.”

He laughs softly. "Well, you called that wuss your boyfriend, did you realize that?"

"...I know what I said."

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> More art by Lauren!  
> [http://weiweipon.tumblr.com/post/57704816915/what-if-gavins-the-one-to-get-mad-and-michaels]


	9. You're My Angel (Epilogue)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gavin can't help but look at Michael and smile.

I am editing a new Rage Quit after finally being taught how when I notice how quiet it has gotten in the office. Usually, by now, Michael is screaming at me or at a game, but I hear nothing. Cautiously, I look over and can't help but grin. He is sitting, arms folded tight against his chest, sound asleep. It was a rough night after I woke up, and Michael stayed up with me and comforted me. And just like Burnie said, I'm completely fine and just a normal human. It was weird at first, trying to adjust, but I can tell that this life will be better.

I stopped working to watch him, see the rise and fall of his chest and the slight movement of his head as he breathes. His face, for once, is calm and still, no screaming or anger.

"Vav?"

I'm snapped out of my daze as Ray calls for me. Looking past Michael, I can tell that he has been watching and immediately feel my cheeks burn as he lets out a soft laugh.

"I-it's not what it looks like!"

"Nah, it's cool, you don't have to try to explain yourself to me." He jokes. "You must really like him, don't you?"

My embarrassment starts to fade. "Yeah, I do, you have no idea." He just looks at me, silently telling me to go on. "He's done so much for me, things that I don't think I was really worthy of. I came crashing into his life, and he accepted me with open arms and a smile on his face most of the time. And, to be honest, he literally saved my life. Without him, I’d be dead for sure, no doubt about it."

"I get 'cha. He's like a guardian angel or something, helping you and shit."

I laugh, much to his confusion. "Yeah, he is an angel, isn't he?" I look back at Michael.

His eyes ease open, and I flinch. Once he realizes he fell asleep, he jumps and looks around wildly. “How long have I been out?”

“Maybe a half hour, why?” Ray replies.

“And no one thought to wake me?” Anger started to return to his face.

“It’s not a big deal, dude, you looked pretty tired.”

“That’s not the point, I shouldn’t be sleeping-“ I pull his chin and shut him up with a kiss.

“Lay down on the couch and go back to sleep.”

His cheeks flush slightly. “Why?”

“My little angel needs his rest.” I wink.

Ray just stares at us. “I’m pretty sure that had high levels of sexual undertone.”

“Thanks Ray, I didn’t know that.” Michael growls, turning even more red.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As you can tell, I like Lauren's art a lot. Have some more!  
> [http://weiweipon.tumblr.com/post/60557372650/oh-gavin]
> 
> Hope you all liked the story, I loved writing it! Feel free to follow me on Tumblr, where I am accepting any prompts, just not smut (but sometimes I'll do it ;])!

**Author's Note:**

> [http://nothingtolovebutmyself.tumblr.com/]  
> [http://nomavinnomavout.tumblr.com/]


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